Switch for electric circuits.



R. WIKANDER.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS APPLICATION FILED MAR. Z3. 191| Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

NTOR ,GM-214.

f 'ATTURN EY WITNESSES R. WIKANDER. SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23.19II.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

.2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTRN EY WITNESSES:

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Specification of Letters 'Patent.

Application filed March 23, tali.. Serial No. 635,179.6.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, RAGNAR Wiimiinisn, a` subject of' the Kingoif Sweden, and a resident of Pittsburgh, inthe county o1c Alle- 5 glieny and State of iPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful lmproveinent in Switches for Electric Circuits, oi which the following is a specification. i

My invention relates to switches 'for elec SUCA electro-magnets. The object of a switch of the character my invention is to provide above indicated i 15 that shall be very positive in its operation and easily adjustable to vary the conditions under which it will operate.

ln my co-pending application, Serial lilo. 616,474, led of even date herewith, l. have 2o shown and described an electro-magnetiH cally operated switch that possesses the characteristic of operating only when the current supplied to the magnet coil lalls within predetermined limits.

According to my present invention, l provide a switch and an operating or controlling electrdmagnet therefor which possesses similar characteristics, but which is dierent in structure and is provided with magnet coils.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a front view of a switch constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 3 and 4l are sectional views of modied structures embodying my invention, and Fig. 5 is a'V sectional View of a switch adapted to be operated by fluid pressure and having a control valve which is governed by an electro-magnet constructe0 ed in accordance with my invention.

Referring to Figs. l and 2 of the drawi ings, the structure here shown comprises a substantially E-shaped core member i having outwardly projecting arms 2, 3 and Il,

4 5 movable armatures 5 and 6, a stationary switch contact member 7, and a coperating movable contact member 8. rl`he movable armatures 5 andA 6 are pivotally mounted n a shaft 9, supported by projections l0 and 1l which extend outwardly from the member l, at the respective sides of the core member 3. The movable contact member 8 isV secured to a contact-bearing member l2 having a projection 13. The armature "o i provided with a projection lll.- having hole l5 through which a rod i6 extends. alhe rod (i is pivotally secured to the pron 18 ci' the member l2 and has a washer or enlargement 1'? which limits the permissible separation between the projectionsl and if-l, interposed spring i8 a' to force the projections apart. 'lhe e 5 is connected to the projection 'la 'iature 6 by brings i9 which tend to pull armatures out of alinement and to bring- L. stop projection il() into ei'igage ment w h a lug 2l on the projection lll. The ari-vs 2 and l are respectively' provided with ir j netizing windings 22 and 25% which ct in opposition to each other.

The eperation of the switch is as follows: Assuiiii'ig that the windings 22 and 23 are defiergized, armature 6 is moved by gravity into engagement with arm Ll, and projectio- 20 engages lug 2l, the switch contacts and S being separated. rlie spring 18 forces a projection 2: ol the niember l2 into engagement with lug 25 oi' the armature 5 before it is separated 'from the arm f, so that the switch contacts are not brought into engagement. lf, under the conditions just outlined, energy is supplied to the winding 22 'from a constant source, and it the winding 23 is supplied with a variable current, as would be the case ii connected in series with a motor at stai-ting, the parts will assume the positions indicated in Fig. l of the drawings, the arinatures 5 and 6 being respectively brought into engagement with the arms 2 and 4f.. ylhe switch contact members 's' and 8 are still separated by reason of the rod l@ which constitutes a connection between the armature 6 and the contact-bearing armature l2. is soon as the current traversing the coil 523` decreases sufficiently, the springs i9 will overcome the attraction between the members 6 and Ll and will bring the lug 2i into engagement with the projection 20, the spring 18 forcing the contact 8 into engagement with the Contact 7, at the saine time. After the switch is closed, if the current traversing the coil 23 becomes suilicicntly excessive, the armature 6 will again be and the switch will be opened. D

' ture 29 at its lower end and intermediate enlargements 27 and 28. `A relatively movable armature 3() is loosely mounted upon the rod 26 between the enlargements 27 and 28 in conjunction with a compression spring 31. A stationary core member 32 and winding 33 are associated with the movable armature 30 and the stationary core member 34 and a winding 35 are associated with the armature 29. Energization of the winding 33 tends to close the switch 8 except when the spring 31 is compressed by the excessive energization of the coil 35.

. In Fig. 4 the spring 31 is replaced by weights 36 which act in opposition to the armature 29 and tend to close the switch when the coil 33 is energized and the movable armature 37, which corresponds to the armature 30 of Fig. 3, is raised.

The armatures 29 and 37 are connected to opposite ends of a lever 38 which is pivoted at 39 and is divided into two parts which act together in one direction but which tend to separate in the opposite direction by reason of a projection 4() of one part which engages the body of the other. art.

Referring to Fig. 5 of t e drawings, a movable Contact member 41 is actuated by a rod 42 to which a piston 43 is secured. A spring 44, located within a cylinder 45, tends to hold the switch open, and air ressure, or other fluid pressure, when admitted to the opposite side of the piston through control valve 46, moves the contact member 41 into engagement with stationary contact member 47.

The control valve 46 is normally closed by a spring 48, but, when suiiicient pressure is brought to bear on the end of valve stem 49, the valve is opened to admit fluid pressure to the cylinder 45 below the piston 43, whereby the latter is forced upward in opposition to the spring 44. The valve stem 49 is controlled by an arm 50 pivoted on a shaft 51 and connected by a spring' 52, to a movable armature 53 of a governing electromagnet. The electro-magnet comprises, in addition to the armature 53, astationary E- shaped member 54, a movable armature 55 and coils 56 and 57. The armatures 53 and 55 are both mounted upon the shaft 51, and the spring 52 tends to separate the armature 53 from an arm 58 of the member 54. The coils 56 and 57 act in opposition to each other and the parts 50 and 55 are either integral, as shown in the drawings, or are operatively connected so that energization of the winding 57 tends merely to put the spring 52 under tension until the current traversing the coil 56 falls below a predetermined value, when the spring is permitted to actuate the valve stem 49 and close the main switch.

Structural modifications may be effected in the switch and magnet which constitute my invention without departing from its spirit and scope, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A switch for electric circuits comprising stationary and movable contact members, a substantially E-shaped stationary core member, a pair of movable armatures pivoted at the outer end of the intermediate arm of the E-shaped core member, a yielding connection between the two movable armatures tending to prevent their simultaneous engagement with the corresponding arms of the stationary core member, said movable contact member being supported on one of said movable armatures, and means for ener izing said core members.

2. A switch or electric circuits comprising stationary and movable contact members, a substantially E-shaped stationary core member, a pair of movable armatures pivoted at the outer end of the intermediate arm of the E-shaped core member, a yielding connection between the two movable armatures tending to prevent their simultaneous engagement with. the correspondin arms of the stationary core member, sai movable contact member being pivotally supported on one of said movable armatures and yieldingly connected to the other armature, and means for energizing said core member.

3. A switch for electric circuits comprising stationary and movable contact members, a substantially E-shapedl stationary core member, a pair of movable armatures pivoted at the outer end of the intermediate arm of the E-shaped core member, a yielding connection between the two movable armatures tending to prevent their simultaneous engagement with the correspondin arms of the stationary core member, oppose magnet coils respectively mounted on the outer arms of the stationary core member, said movable contact member being responsive to the action of one of said movable armatures.

4. A switch comprising stationary and movable contact members, and operatin mechanism therefor comprising a pair o relatively movable armature members havmg a common pivotal support, a spring for yieldingly connecting said armature members, a shunt coil for actuating one of said armature members to place said spring under stress and a series coil for actuating the other of said armatures to op ose the force of said spring and for permitting the en- 13o Copie: of this patent may be obtained for tend to close said switch and said series winding retains the other armature member in its normal position to prevent the closing of said switch so long as the 'current traversing said series coil exceeds a predetermined value.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of March, 1911.

RAGNAR WIKANDER. Witnesses:

STANLEY STRoUD, B. B. HINES.

ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latenti, Washington, D. 0. 

